About This Poem

“‘A Taste of Blue’ deals with the poet’s heart and the hearts that raise them. You look at family members with similar facial features and there’s an undeniable connection to them and ancestry. In contrast, most older generations with blue collar jobs don’t see poetry as a vocation, but love and recognize their children all the same.”—Cynthia Manick

More by Cynthia Manick

You remind them of weighted tumbleweeds,hen-egg brown. Don’t let them take the rag- time beneath your skin. It stirs earth’s curvatureand a choirof frogs when you enter or leave a room. Don’t leave a swallow of juice or milk in the fridge.A body grievedis a whole new body. Give your shadow a name big as a star, see yourself out loud.Pick wild irises the best gifts roll under a ribcage, leave open mouths splendid.

I like your smile unpenned.

Keep your bird- song close, imagine an hourglass full of architects and dreamers,the first taste of fresh scooped ice cream. You will learn to master camouflage among ordinary things— men who spill wordsnot thoughts, trigger fingers ready to brand loose.